Vending apparatus.



L- S. ROARK.

VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7. 1916.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

L. S. ROARK.

VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1916.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fl I

I I l L. SJ HOARK.

VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, I915.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L i t t y W LENOX S. ROARK, F COALINGA, CALIFORNIA.

VENDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pa tqgntefl Aug, 29, 119118,

Application filed March 17, 1916. Serial No. 84,911.

nism hereinafter particularly described is equally well adapted fordispensing any kind of liquid.

The main object of the invention is to provide simple and reliableapparatus whereby upon the depositing of a coin of any denomination, themechanism will be set so as to deliver a proportionate amount of liquid'and the operating mechanism simultaneously released so that the shaft ofa pump, for example, will be free to be operated by the persondepositing the coin; when the selectm red quantity of liquid has beenpumped, the

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mechanism will automatically be relocked, rendering it impossible forthe pump to be further operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby themechanism may be readily adjusted and regulated so as to deliver onlythe proper amount of liquid in accordance with the prevailing prices ofsuch liquid at the time.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereindescribed,illustratedand claimed.

In the accompanying'drawings: Figure 1- is a top plan view partly insection showing the vending apparatus of this invention. Fig. 2 is across section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on theline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 41 of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the tripping wheels. Fig.

6 is a similar view of another tripping wheel.

The apparatus contemplated in this in vention comprises in the preferredembodiment thereof an inclosing case or housing designated generally at1 designates a pump shaft provided at one end with an operating handle2, said shaft being connected to the pumping apparatus (not shown),which may be of any preferred construction and designed for pump inggasolene or other fuel oil, lubricating oil or any liquid from asuitable supply source into a receiver which may consist of the tank ofan automobile or motor vehicle or any suitable vessel.

Extending at right angles to the shaft 1 is a countershaft or clutchshaft 3 journaled in bearings within the casing or housing A. and havingmounted on one end thereof a gear 4. having on one side thereof aplurality of concentric gear faces 5, 6 and 7. The wheel 4 isnormally'loose on the shaft 3, being shown as" mounted on the extendedhub portion 8 of a ratchet wheel 9 which is fast on the shaft 3 andengaged by a pawl 10 carried by the wheel l, 11 designating a spring forholding the pawl 10 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 9.This enables the wheel 1 to turn freely in relation to the shaft 3 inone direction and to take up the shaft 3 and actuate the same in turn inthe opposite direction. Mounted adjustably on the pump shaft 1 is a gear12 shown in the form of a pinion having a hub 13 and a set screw 11adapted to engage notches 15 in the shaft 1 for the purpose of enablingthe gear pinion 12 to be adjusted longitudinally of the pump shaft 1 soas to engage the desired gear face 5, 6 or 7 of the large gear 4. Thisprovides for a greater or lesser turning movement of theshaft 3 toenable the apparatus to be set for pumping liquid in accordance with theprice thereof at the time the machine in operation.

Mounted fast on the shaft 3 is a locking wheel 16 the periphery of whichis notched or toothed as shown at 17 and cooperating with said wheel 16is a latch bar 18 which extends lengthwise of the casing and ispivotally mounted at one end as shown at 19, the free end portion ofthe'latch bar 18 being movable into and out of engagement with thelocking wheel 16 by means to be hereinafter described. Mounted looselyon the shaft 3 at intervals are trip wheels 20, 21 and 22. Any desirednumber of these wheels maybe employed in accordance with the number ofcoins of different denominations tobe used in operating the mechanism.As shown, the wheel 22 is employed in connection with the mechanism tobe thrown into operation by depositing a dollar in the vendingapparatus, the wheel 21 is used in conjunction with a half dollardeposit and the of other denominations.

The mechanism used in conjunction with each of the wheels 21, 22 and 23is the counterpart of the others and therefore a description of one unitwill answer for all. Referring, for example, to the unit comprising thetrip wheel 22, it will be observed that said wheel is provided with afemale clutch member 23 adapted to cooperate with a male clutch member24' which is provided with a hub 25 having an annular groove 26 thereinto be engaged by the forked end of one arm 27 of a bell crank leverpivotally mounted at 28 within the casing and having another arm 29which is connected by a pivotal link 30 to a trip lever 31 pivotallymounted at 32 within the casing. The clutch member 24 is feathered tothe shaft 3 as shown at 33 causing it to rotate with the shaft butenabling it to slide longitudinally upon said shaft. The clutch member24 is normally held out of engagement with the clutch member 23 by meansof a coiled expansion spring 34 one end of which bears against the basewall 35 of a central bore 36 in the clutch member 24 and the other endof which bears against a collar 37 on the shaft 3. Another larger'collar 38 fast on the shaft 3 holds the clutch member 23 and the tripwheel 22 in place. A spacing sleeve 39 is interposed between the innerface of the clutch member 23 and the collar 37 so as to insuredisengagement between the clutch members 23 and 24 under the expansiveaction of the spring 34.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the wheel 22 is providedwith a single cam projection a on the periphery thereof which is.adapted to come in contact with the trip lever 31 to impart a slightswinging movement thereto, whereas the tripping wheel'21 is providedwith two of such cam projections b at diametrically opposite points, andthe wheel 20 is provided with ten of such cam projections at c.Therefore, the wheel 22 will cooperate with the lever 31 only once ineach complete revolution thereof "while the wheel 21 will cooperate withits trip lever twice in each revolution thereof and the wheel 20 willcooperate with its trip lever ten times in each revolution thereof. Inconjunction with each unit there is employed a coin chute 40 adapted toreceive a coin indicated at 41, said coin chute extending downwardlywithin the casing and projecting above the top thereof asshown in Fig.2, the coin falling by gravity until it comes in contact with the triplever 31 where it temporarily rests. In order to operate the trip lever31 for the purpose of shifting the clutch 24, I provide a hand lever42which is shown as pivotally mounted at 43 and the free end portion ofwhich operates through a slot in the wall of the casing. A lug orprojection 44 extends laterally from the lever 43 and works throughanarcuate slot 45 in one side of the chute 40. When the lever 42 isdepressed until it reaches the bottom end of the slot in the casing, theprojection 44 comes in contact with and bears downwardly on the coin 41thereby imparting a suflicient movement to the trip lever 31 to causethe latter in turn to shift the latch bar 18 out of engagement with thelocking wheel 16 thus leaving the shaft 3 free to be turned while thecoin is held in the last named position by means of the trip lever 31.The lever 42 is now released and returned to its initial position bymeans of a spring or its equivalent. The operator now turns the handle 2and operates the pump shaft 1. This turns the shaft 3 and with it thetrip wheel 22, for example, until the cam projection a of said wheelcomes in contact with the trip lever 31 and pushes the same outward farenough to release the coin 41. The coin then drops into the bottom ofthe casing and as the'cam projection a passes beyond the lever 31, thelatter moves back to its initial position and throws out the clutch 24.Simultaneously therewith the latch bar 18 is allowed to move back intoengagement with the locking wheel 16. The clutch shaft 3 is now lockedby means of the wheel 16 and the latch bar 18 and consequently thepump-operating shaft 1 is also locked and remains so until another coinis inserted in the machine. It is, of course, to be understood thatthere is a coin chute for each trip wheel and also an operating leverfor each trip wheel or unit. It is also preferred to place anotherratchet wheel 46 on the shaft 3 to be engaged by a detent 47 on theinterior of the casing to prevent turning the shaft 3 in a backwarddirection.

It will, of course, be understood that the gear 4 may be provided withas many concentric gear faces 5, 6 and 7 as may be de sired in order toprovide for the rise and fall of prices of the liquid being dispensed,it being evident that as the pinion 12 is set nearer the shaft 3, thegreater amount of turning movement will be imparted to the shaft 3 andthe farther from the shaft 3, the less Will be the degree of turningmovement imparted to the shaft 3. Until a coin is deposited in themachine, the entire mechanism is locked and the pump-operating shaftcannot be turned. When a coin of any particular denomination is insertedin'the machine and the appropriate lever 42 depressed, the mechanism isunlocked and the pump shaft 1 may be given a number of turnsproportionate to the amount of gasolene to be pumped in accordance withthe denomination of the coin. One or more glass panels or observationopenings indicated at 48 are provided to enable the coins to beinspected after they have been de posited in the machine for the purposeof preventing the operation of the machine by slugs when, for anyreason, it is suspected that a certain purchaser has been resorting tosuch fraudulent practice.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In vending apparatus, thecombination with a rotary shaft, of a second rotary shaft geared theretoand driven thereby, means for locking the said second shaft, selectivemeans embodying several units each including a trip wheel, meanscooperating with the trip wheels for throwing the latter into and out ofengagement with said second shaft, and means actuated by the last namedmeans for unlocking said second shaft. I

2. In vending apparatus, the combination with a rotary pump shaft, andoperating means therefor, of a clutch shaft geared to said pump shaft, anotched locking wheel fast on said clutch shaft, a clutch memberfeathered to and slidable on the last named shaft, a trip wheel normallyloose on the clutch shaft and adapted to be engaged and released by saidclutch, a cam projection on said trip wheel. a trip lever restingagainst said trip wheel and adapted to be shifted by the cam projectionthereon and also operatively connected with said clutch for shifting thelatter, and a latch bar movable into and out of engagement with saidlocking wheel and arranged to be tripped by said trip lever.

3. -In vending apparatus, the combination with a rotary pump shaft, andoperating means therefor, of a clutch shaft substantially at a rightangle thereto, a gear on said 1 clutch shaft, pawl and ratchet meansconnecting said 'gear and clutch shaft, a gear on said pump shaftmeshing with the gear on the clutch shaft, a. notched locking wheel faston said clutch shaft, a clutch member feathered to-and slidable on thelast named shaft, a trip wheel normally loose 'on the clutch shaft andadapted to be engaged and released by said clutch, a cam projection onsaid trip wheel, a trip lever resting against the periphery of said tripwheel and adapted to be shifted by the cam projection thereon and alsoadapted to shift said clutch with which it is connected, and a latch barmovable into and out of engagement with said locking wheel and arrangedto be tripped by said trip lever.

4. In vending apparatus, the combination with a rotary pump shaft, andoperating means therefor, of a clutch shaft substantially at a rightangle to said pump shaft, a gear onsaid clutch shaft, a gear on saidpump shaft meshing therewith, a notched locking wheel fast on saidclutch shaft, a plurality of clutch members feathered t0 and slidable onthe last named shaft, a plurality of trip Wheels normally loose on theclutch shaft and adapted to be engaged and released by the respectiveclutch members, a cam projection on each trip wheel, trip levers restingagainst said trip wheels and adapted to be individually shifted by thecam projections thereon and also connected with the respective clutchmembers to shift the latter, and a latch bar movable into and out ofengagement with said locking wheel and arranged to be tripped by any oneof said trip levers,

5. In vending apparatus, the combination with a rotary pump shaft andoperating means therefor, of a clutch shaft substantially at a rightangle thereto, a gear on said clutch shaft provided with a plurality ofconcentric gear faces, a gear on said pump shaft shiftablelongitudinally thereof so as to mesh with any one of said gear faces, anotched locking wheel fast on said clutch shaft, a clutch memberfeathered to and slidable on the lastnamed shaft, a trip wheenprmally'loose on the clutch shaft and adapted to be engaged andreleased by said clutch, a cam projection on said trip wheel, a triplever resting against'the pe riphery of said trip wheel and adapted tobe shifted by the cam projection thereon and also connected with saidclutch member to shift the latter, and a latch bar movable into and outof engagement with said locking wheel "and. arranged to be tripped bysaid trip'lever.

In testimony whereof I. affix my signature .in presence of twowitnesses.

I LENOX S. YROARK.

Witnesses:

HENRY S. RICHMOND, PEARL ROARK.

